Short Summary

The funeral of an Argentine army Colonel who had spent ten months as the prisoner of a Marxist guerrilla organisation took place in Buenos Aires on Thursday (21 November).

Description

The funeral of an Argentine army Colonel who had spent ten months as the prisoner of a Marxist guerrilla organisation took place in Buenos Aires on Thursday (21 November).

Lieutanant Colonel Jorge Roberto Ibarzabal, aged forty six, was murdered by the guerrillas on Tuesday evening (19 November) during a gun-fight with the police when the van in which they were taking him to a new hideout was stopped at a checkpoint near the town of Quilmes. Colonel Ibarzabal had been captured by the guerrillas last January.

The murder of Colonel Ibarzabal has plunged armed forces circles into gloom as it is the latest of a series of murders of military officers. The Colonel was buried with full military honours with Argentine Army Chief General Leandro Anaya among the mourners.